The present invention relates to improvements in a side-channel compressor.
Side-channel compressors typically comprise a rotor rotatably supported in a housing, wherein the rotor includes a blade ring arranged at the outer circumference of a disk-shaped hub. A clearance space is provided between the housing and the rotor in the region where the rotor hub merges into the blade ring. Such a side-channel compressor is disclosed in DE-U-87 04 066. This compressor includes a wiper that extends into a narrow radial gap which forms in-part the clearance space. The radial gap is formed between a portion of the blade ring that extends laterally beyond the hub in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotor and a section of the housing which extends beneath the laterally extending blade ring portion. The wiper strips off dust deposited in the radial gap and thereby prevents clogging thereof and eventual blocking of the rotor. When the gases being conveyed in the side-channel compressor contain sticky or moist dust, the wiper does prevent the rotor from becoming blocked by dust settling in the radial gap. However, the wiper does not prevent the rotor from becoming blocked when the gas being conveyed contains lint or fiber-like particles.
Thus, there is a need to develop a side-channel compressor which also prevents the rotor from becoming blocked by deposits of lint or fiber-like particles in the clearance space between the rotor and the housing when the conveyed gases contain such lint or fiber-like particles.